What You Need to Know to Comply With Our Social Media Rules

The rules for advertising on social media platforms are NOT exactly the same as the rules for putting a link to the IABS and CPN on a social media platform used as a business website because the requirements for each rule differ.

Rule 535.155, Advertisements

From the Chair - Inspector Comittee - September 2018

I want to personally thank all of the inspectors who took time out of their schedules to make the trip to Austin to attend the August 13th Texas Real Estate Commission meeting in person. I know that your time is valuable and the TREI Committee and I always value your input and appreciate your continued interest and involvement.

From the Chair - September 2018

The extended heat of August has been relieved a bit by rains in early September. I hope the typical market frenzy of summer has moderated a bit so you can focus on your professional development as well.

AGENCY RECEIVES DISTINGUISHED AWARDS

Austin, TX – The Texas Real Estate Commission and Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board is pleased to announce the agency has won two coveted Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) Communications Awards. One is for the new integrated communications plan, and the other for Board and Commission meeting communications.

Make Sure Paragraph 21 is Filled Out

The One to Four Family Residential Contract (Resale), like many contracts, contains a “Notices” provision. In that TREC contract, the provision is in Paragraph 21. This needs to be filled out so the parties know where a notice should be sent or delivered to be effective. A license holder should remind their client how important this provision is and ensure, to the extent possible, that it gets filled out fully and accurately.

Using "Realty" In Team Names

At the Commission Meeting on Monday, August 13, 2018, the Commission adopted changes to the advertising rules (§535.155) allowing Broker team names to include the term "realty," so long as the other requirements for team names are met.

Can An Inspector Perform A Sewer Line Inspection?

NO, unless the inspector is also a licensed plumber. TREC’s Standards of Practice (§535.231) require an inspector to operate plumbing fixtures, test for drain performance, and to report deficiencies in water supply pipes and waste pipes.

Customer Service Matters: How the Agency Has Improved

Good news! TREC and TALCB have implemented a new tool to improve customer service. A new call tree system has been added to our main customer services lines. This new system allows callers to select from a list of options that will direct them to the best available person to address their issue to get the answers or help they need.

From the Executive Director: A Progress Report to Agency Stakeholders

The agency has committed to implement a variety of measures to improve our customer service. This is a quick review of what we have done so far and what additional steps remain to be implemented to enhance our responsiveness.

Seeking Recommendations from Inspector Committee

After postponing consideration of proposed changes to inspector insurance requirements at their November 2017 meeting, TREC took no action on the proposed rule amendments and remanded the matter to the Real Estate Inspector Committee at the Commission’s February 2018 meeting.

New Contract Form Changes Now Available For Voluntary Use

Mandatory Use Begins May 15, 2018 For All License Holders, Make Sure You Are Ready

Improved Communications Options Announced

To Help Improve Response Times and Quality of Communication TREC Is Launching More Ways to Get In Touch With The Agency

We know many of you have had a hard time getting through to the agency. We're working every day to improve our response times and customer satisfaction. We are pleased to announce the launch of several new ways to get in touch with us:

Flexibility Added for Posting a Link to IABS and Consumer Protection Notices

Effective December 6, 2017

Since February 2016, you are required to have a specific link for each of these notices in a readily noticeable location on the homepage of your business website. The Commission has adopted amendments to those rules that give you additional flexibility when posting the link to the Consumer Protection Notice.

What Happens To Administrative Penalties?

(Hint: the money doesn’t fund the Commission)

Administrative penalties are not revenue -- the Commission doesn’t make money from administrative penalties. Instead, the money goes to a trust account to pay consumers for judgments against a license holder.

TREC's Advertising Rules - What You Need To Know

The effective date of the new rules is May 15, 2018, and we want to make sure everyone is thoroughly prepared for the changes.

Background

Do You Advertise Your Business? Read This!

Texas Real Estate Commission adopted new advertising rules at its November meeting. These rules are effective as of May 15, 2018, which gives license holders 6 months to comply with the updated requirements.
§535.154 lays out alternate, assumed business and team name registration requirements and §535.155 lays out the revised advertising requirements. You can read both rules on our website.

Don’t Be The One Who Gets Blamed When a Buyer Does Not Get Approval

SCAM ALERT!

TREC has been made aware of a scam requesting money from our license holders. The request is sent by text by someone posing as the Texas Real Estate Commission and asks that a specified amount be paid through Square Cash and provides a link to pay the amount (see example texts below).

Report Crimes Within 30 Days Or Face Penalties

From The Executive Director - Inspectors - April 2018

It’s been a busy start of the year for the Commission. I traveled around the state in March as part of our Agency’s biennial strategic planning listening tour. This allowed me to receive input first hand from license holders across the state about issues that impact them directly. Tony Slagle, the agency’s inspector staff liaison visited a local chapter of an inspector trade association to discuss concerns and answer their questions. This is something staff is committed to doing more often.

From the Chair - Inspector Committee - March 2018

From the Chair - March 2018

The Commission held its regular quarterly business meeting on Monday February 12th during the Texas Association of REALTORS Winter meeting in Austin, and we offered real estate continuing education (CE) hours for attendance, so we had a number of extra license holders join us that day. The Commissioners re-elected Commissioner Arriaga as Vice-Chair and Commissioner TJ Turner as Secretary for the next 12 months.

From the Chair - Inspector Committee - February 2018

The Inspector Committee met in Austin on January 22nd to discuss a packed agenda. Several inspectors made the trip to Austin for this meeting. I would like to thank everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend and I appreciate your important input.

From the Executive Director - February 2018

As the next Commission meeting on Monday February 12th rapidly approaches, there are several issues that loom large and we need to emphasize. First, this is our year for both strategic planning and rule review, so we will be discussing opportunities to remove any identified barriers or red tape that hinders or

From The Executive Director - Inspectors - January 2018

It was a busy year for the Inspector Committee on the education front. The major accomplishment for the committee was completing the much-needed revision on the SOP Legal and Ethics continuing education coursework, which became mandatory as of September 1 of last year.

From the Executive Director - January 2018

Happy New Year! It’s January and 2018 promises to be filled with important activity. Even numbered years are always a time when the agency must update our 5-Year Strategic Plan and so that means we will have some significant opportunities for additional targeted input from our license holders and the public on general topics and specific areas of current interest. Look for a list of topics and a schedule of Listening Tour events to be published in February.

From the Chair - December 2017

The Commission met on November 13th for its regular quarterly meeting and it was one of the most productive – and lengthy – that we have had for many years. Despite its length, we recognized recent accomplishments and achieved some major milestones that we have been working on for over two years. We began by ratifying a very generous set of accommodations implemented in response to the unprecedented impact of Hurricane Harvey. Up to six full months of deadline extensions are ava

From the Chair - Inspector Committee - December 2017

The Inspector Committee met in Austin on October 9th and for the first time, the meeting was available to be viewed online in real time. This allowed license holders and members of the public to view the meeting live. This was an initial test run to see if streaming the meeting will be practical. No decision has yet been made about future streaming as TREC staff is continuing to explore options.

From the Executive Director - November 2017 - Inspectors

The new fiscal year started on September 1 and it has already been an eventful year. Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast at the end of August and caused unprecedented damage and disruption to those persons living and doing business in that part of the state. In recognition of the hardship caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Commission extended licensing and renewal deadlines statewide for all license holders and applicants with August and September deadlines until October 31, 2017.

Broker Responsibility Working Group Appointments Announced

The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the appointment of members to the Broker Responsibility Working Group (BRWG). The BRWG reviews experience requirements and role responsibilities for brokers and makes recommendations to the Commission based on its findings. Members will meet four or five times in the next 10 months to complete the charge given to them by the Commission.

2nd Annual Residential Realty Summit in Austin

Monday, April 2 in Austin from 10 AM to 3 PM.

Join us for our Agency’s 2nd annual Texas Residential Realty Summit. This annual conference focuses on current issues affecting the successful closing of single family residential transactions transaction from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Agency Strategic Planning Tour Announced

AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) and the Texas Appraiser Licensing & Certification Board (TALCB) are pleased to announce our biennial strategic planning listening tour. License holders and the public are invited to participate in the agency’s preparation of its 2019-2023 Strategic Plan by offering input at one of the following sessions:

Commission Appoints Six to Education Standards Advisory Committee

AUSTIN, TX – The Texas Real Estate Commission is pleased to announce the recent appointments of six new committee members to the Education Standards Advisory Committee. Sarah Norman of Bryan, Jason Woodward of Amarillo, Felicia Peters of Grandbury, Scott Kesner of El Paso, Rob Cook of Houston, and public member Marcela Gomez of Austin have been appointed as members, with terms set to expire in 2019.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the Texas Real Estate Commission and the Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board (the Agency) extended all deadlines for two months for all license holders and applicants statewide with license expiration or application deadlines in August and September. This extension ended on October 31, 2017.

New Commission Appointments Announced

AUSTIN, TX - Governor Abbott has appointed three new members to the Texas Real Estate Commission; broker members, Jan Fite Miller and DeLora Wilkinson and a public member Micheal Williams with terms set to expire January 31, 2023. These new members will join the Commission for its next regular quarterly meeting in Austin on November 13, 2017.

Testing Provider Closing Testing Centers Due To Hurricane

Due to Hurricane Harvey, our testing provider, Pearson Vue, will be closing some of the sites in Texas over the next few days. Site closures keep coming in, and they are reaching out to all candidates via email to let them know that their appointment will need to be rescheduled.

Be sure to reach out to our testing provider, Pearson Vue with any questions you may have.

TREC Receives ARELLO Communications Award

The Texas Real Estate Commission (TREC) is pleased to announce that the agency’s completely redesigned website has been recognized for excellence by the Association of Real Estate License Law Officials (ARELLO) with a 2017 Communication Award. ARELLO is an international organization of real estate licensing agencies and individuals involved with regulation of the real estate industry globally.

Governor Abbott Has Signed SB 526

SB 526 abolishes the Residential Mortgage Fraud Task Force established under the Government Code. However, the bill maintains the ability of those agencies who were members of the task force to share information related to mortgage fraud and also protects the confidentiality of any information shared.